Rob Elliot admits he made it clear that he “wasn’t very happy” about being dropped last month - but insists he respected Rafa Benitez’s decision.

The Newcastle United No 1 started the first 13 games of the Premier League season, before Benitez handed Karl Darlow an opportunity at the Hawthorns at the end of November.

Darlow retained the gloves for four matches but, after making two mistakes in as many games, he was left out of the team for the 1-0 defeat at Arsenal last weekend, with Elliot recalled.

“It’s hard for anyone when you come out of the team. Goalkeepers are slightly different,” Elliot replied when asked about being dropped last month.

“The manager made his decision. I obviously wasn’t very happy about it but you just have to get on with it – to support Karl, to support the lads and work hard in training.

Rob Elliot (Image: Newcastle United)

“You hope to get the chance to come back in and I got given the nod against Arsenal. I just had to go out there and do well and show that from my point of view that it wasn’t my performances which led to the bad run.

“Sometimes you go to Old Trafford and concede four and as a goalkeeper you are at the mercy of quality players sometimes. I just had to stick with it.

“Karl has done really well. He was a top ‘keeper last year and did well when he came in. The manager spoke to us and said we have to keep pushing each other.”

Newcastle have lost eight of their last nine matches and have won only once in 13 games, a run which has seen the Magpies slip into the relegation zone.

Benitez has rotated a number of senior players in his squad during that time - Jonjo Shelvey and Ciaran Clark have also found themselves out of the side on occasion - and Elliot also fell victim to that.

Once he was dropped last month, Elliot did not sulk, however. Instead, the Republic of Ireland international went to speak to Benitez and find out why he had been omitted from the side, and what he needed to do in order to regain his place.

“I went to go and speak to him [Benitez] about it because you have to. You wouldn’t expect a player to just accept it and sulk around,” the 31-year-old added.

“I have a lot of respect for the manager, I really like him, he is a fantastic manager who I have learned a lot from.